The Everfree Lord

by Organic Construct

The Everfree Lord VII

Adrian stared out of the window of his cabin aboard the Friendship Express. He felt that he was growing accustomed to the naming scheme of this world. He had barely even flinched when he learned the name of the train that would take him to the capital. He considered this something of a triumph considering how fiercely his instincts initially wanted him to cringe with each ridiculous name he learned. This wasn’t to say that he wanted to become comfortable in this place. He still needed to return home, after all. He admired the passing landscape as he pondered this, and other less interesting matters. Such as the fact that he was forced to slightly bend his legs to fit in the seat.

His roving thoughts were disturbed by an unexpected knock on the door. He lazily turned his head and waited for the unknown individual to enter his cabin. It took him a few brief seconds to realise why they were not entering. He resisted the urge to smack his forehead in frustration.

“Come in.”

The door slid open. He was not singularly surprised to see Celestia on the other side. He was still uncertain as to why she had insisted on traveling on the train with him. When he asked earlier she had simply assured him that it would put her mind at ease. He hadn’t wanted to pry the reason out of her at the time, and he still felt no inclination to attempt it.

Celestia stepped through the doorway while sporting a pleased grin. Adrian immediately felt the very light tingling caused by his proximity to such a potent wellspring of magic. He only hoped that she couldn’t feel him leeching her magic. They were both aware that he couldn’t help it, but for some irritating reason, the very idea that she was aware of it seemed far too intimate for his tastes. As much as he wanted to know, the thought of bluntly asking her was too much for even his prodigious lack of social tact. He ignored his internal strife over the matter and gestured towards the seat opposite him.

She took the invitation to sit. “With you not responding to my knocking, I was starting to think you had fallen asleep or were otherwise indisposed.”

Adrian shrugged and tried his best to simply ignore the tingling sensation. He would have to get used to it sooner or later. “My apologies. It’s a bit of an old habit from my world. We typically simply enter after knocking, unless the occupant requests otherwise.”

Celestia seemed to consider this. “Many ponies do the same. Waiting to enter is simply a habit I have picked up after a long lifetime.”

Adrian allowed a few traces of a coy grin to appear on his otherwise placid face. “I don’t suppose you have any interesting stories related to why one would develope such a habit.”

Celestia laughed as she shook her head. “None that I would readily share in this setting, I am afraid.”

Adrian briefly chuckled before returning his gaze to the passing landscape outside of the window. It was quite the aesthetically pleasing view. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

Celestia idly waved a hoof through the air. “I wanted to ensure that you were doing well. I realised that I did not know whether or not you were prone to motion sickness.”

Adrian couldn’t suppress the grin that betrayed his amusement. She had been consistently observing him from the moment they’d met. She seemed to be possessed of the idea that he would break at the slightest provocation or disappear if left to his own devices for too long.

Adrian lifted a brow. “Really now? I don’t think you’re being entirely honest with me, but I’m sure you have your reasons. Even if those reasons don’t include my tendency, or lack thereof, for motion sickness.”

He simply hoped they wouldn’t come back to bite him in the arse.

Celestia simply waved a hoof in a dismissive gesture. “You are quite the perceptive one. You are correct in both of your suspicions, but I ask you to trust that I bear you no ill will.”

Adrian gave a coy grin and a dismissive wave of his own hand. “I would be doing my best to not be here if I suspected otherwise.”

The slightest trace of unhappiness passed over Celestia’s face before it resumed its usual cheer. “As you seem to not be suffering from any motion sickness, I suppose I will leave you be once more. Do not hesitate to call should you have need of me,”

Adrian dipped his head in what he hoped was a display of gratitude and acknowledgment. Celestia seemed to consider it such, for she beamed in return before rising from her seat. “Farewell, Adrian.” And with that, she magically opened the door and proceeded to exit the cabin. The brief use of magic in his general area caused his skin to tingle for a moment.

Adrian resumed his admiration of the rolling countryside and distant mountains. He wondered what Canterlot would be like. It would likely be far cleaner and safer than any capital city back home. As he was unique in this world, he would likely be getting quite a few passing glances and stares. Would they be using a lot of magic in the city? He hoped that none would be used too near to him. The discomfort of absorbing magic had not diminished with time. He would also likely be meeting with Luna. He wondered if she would be anything like her sister. He figured she would probably be equally benevolent at the very leas-

The door of the cabin suddenly opened once again. The pony on the other side was clearly a stewardess, based on her uniform. She had a goldenrod coat and a well-groomed, light-yellow mane and tail. The dark orange of her eyes became apparent to Adrian as she immediately locked her gaze with his. For a brief instant, he thought he saw a spark of excitement in her eyes before she quickly closed them and gave a winning smile.

She took a single step into the small space. “Is there anything I can do to make your trip easier, Lor- sir?”

Already disquieted, Adrian immediately noticed her little slip up. Before reacting, he forced himself to calm down. While his instincts were never wrong, they weren’t really screaming any danger signals. It was more like a general feeling of unease. Her little mistake was innocuous in its very nature. She had probably just worried about offending him with some expression and changed to something more neutral.

“I’m fine. Just a little curious as to what you were about to call me.”

Her smile failed to waver. “Oh, it was nothing important, sir. It was just a little slip up from being tired. My apologies.” She cast her gaze about the space, seeming to search for something. “Well, so long as you are certain that you are doing fine, sir. Allow me to fix that drape over there and I will be on my way.”

Adrian could see nothing wrong with the drapes, but he nodded in consent nonetheless. He watched as she crossed the small space. He noticed as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as she passed. She stood on her hind legs and used her forehooves to adjust the drape. Adrian considered it peculiar that the drape on his side had been the one in need of adjustment. Seeming satisfied, she dropped back down onto four hooves, but slipped and stumbled right into him. Adrian immediately felt the tingle of magic where she was pressing against his leg and lower torso. He swiftly helped her right herself so as to break physical contact.

She grinned at him with a pleased expression. “Oh, my. How embarrassing. Thank you so much for your help, sir.”

Adrian shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. Misfortunes happen.”

She started to leave the room, but paused just as she was closing the door. “That they do, sir. Like the misfortune of being unable to find you all this time, Lord Naught. But, I do believe fortune has shifted in our favour.” She smiled at him and slid the door closed.

Adrian hadn’t expected her to close the door so quickly. There was no way he was just going to let her go after that little event. He immediately darted the short distance to the door and swiftly slung it open again. His momentum carried him right into the hall. He looked up and down the linear corridor but could spot neither hide nor hair of her. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. He hadn’t pinned her as the type to be able to disappear in mere moments. He briefly considered a more intensive search, but quickly abandoned the idea. If she had disappeared that swiftly, then there was no way that he was going to easily find her. He closed the door and returned to his seat.

He fumed in silence as he thought over what she had said. She had indicated that some group had been trying, and failing, to find him. She had also referred to him as “Lord Naught”. This probably indicated that they knew something about him. He wasn’t sure what, but he had to consider the slim chance that their knowledge might include some way for him to return home. He sighed. It seemed a fairly desperate hope. A more pressing cause for concern was the unknown reason for their search. He wasn’t exceedingly worried, because, had they wished him harm, the “stewardess” had been in the perfect position to try something.

He briefly considered calling on Celestia, but discarded the idea. He could not prove it, but he was inclined to believe that she had suspected something like this might occur. That would explain her desire to be in relatively close proximity to him and her earlier visit. Celestia hadn’t been open with him. He saw no reason to be particularly open with her. He would deal with this matter on his own. He was trapped in his own web of thoughts until he felt a shift in the train. He immediately noticed that the mountains were now practically upon them. It would seem that they would be arriving in Canterlot shortly.

He attempted to relax and mentally fortify himself for the upcoming deboarding and subsequent travel through Canterlot’s streets. In spite of his efforts, he still couldn’t shake his instinctual unease. He wasn’t particularly pleased by this fact. His instincts had never betrayed him, after all.

A tunnel or so later and the city itself came into view. Adrian took a brief moment to truly appreciate the fact that the entire structure was situated on the side of a mountain. He sincerely hoped that the place was supported by good architecture and sound construction rather than magic. Too much magic could make things difficult. However, he had to consider this unlikely, seeing as Celestia would have been unlikely to overlook such an important detail.

The place seemed… Colourful. The various buildings, towers, and spires all seemed to share various hues of white, gold, purple, and pink. It was quite the sight with the sun shining off of it. He could see the small shapes of pegasi flitting about in the air above the city. He could also see some ponies milling about on the grounds below, but could not differentiate earth pony from unicorn due to the distance. The ponies seemed to be taking full advantage of the decent weather as they went about their various tasks. The place was clearly busy and alive, as befitting a capital.

As the train grew ever closer, it became more and more difficult to suppress his nerves. This was a new environment. He would know nothing of his surroundings. He knew nothing of the culture of the area. He was even slightly worried that even the cosmopolitan residents of Canterlot might be unnerved by his unique presence. He was also unnerved by the possibility of accidentally interacting with anything magical in nature. He didn’t want to cause any damage to the city or its residents. This step into the unknown made him nervous, even if he would be damned before he showed it. Admittedly, some of that nervousness was excitement at the prospect of fresh knowledge and new experiences.

He slowly repeated his mantra under his breath as the train began to slow for its eventual stop at the Canterlot station. He twitched as he heard a knock at the door. He had to suppress a laugh at how jumpy he was in spite of his best efforts. He grinned because he bore a fair idea of who was on the other side.

He made certain to keep his voice level. “Enter.”

The door opened and Adrian’s skin began to tingle as Celestia entered the space with a smile plastered on her face. “Hello, Adrian. As I am certain you can tell, we have arrived.” She seemed exceedingly pleased by this development.

Adrian grinned for a moment. “I noticed.” He knew that this dry humour was an attempt to mask his own insecurity, but it did help, in its own small way. “What happens now?”

Celestia seemed prepared for this question. “Normally, royal guests are escorted to the palace by the guard. You are something of an exception due to your unique circumstances.” Celestia’s smile widened. “It may attract some attention, but I will be escorting you personally.”

Adrian raised a brow. “Are you certain that you want to waste your time escorting me on foot?”

Celestia gave a single wave of her hoof. “Nonsense. It would be a delight to escort you in person, as I take the safety of my guests very seriously.” She gave an amused smile. “A select few guards will also be traveling with us, as my guards also take my safety very seriously. A little silly, but I like to make them happy when I am able to.”

Adrian smiled and shrugged. “So long as you’re certain. Admittedly, it will be nice to have you there. I find the guards to be somewhat stoic.”

Celestia actually laughed a small amount while covering her mouth with a wing. It did not take long for her composure to return. “All pleasant amusements aside, are you ready?”

The question made Adrian realise that he would eventually need to leave the relative comfort of this cabin for the uncertain city environment. He cracked his knuckles and neck before standing. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Celestia seemed pleased. “Excellent. Let us be on our way.” With that she exited with Adrian following behind. “Now, try to avoid coming into direct contact with me. I am using a glamour to mask my appearance, but your presence alone is enough to force me to actively maintain it. Your direct touch will certainly nullify it. My ponies would also consider it strange to hear you refer to this facade by my name, so please avoid doing so. For now, I am Juniper. As much as I love my little ponies, I would like to reach the castle before nightfall.”

Adrian was distinctly amused. “I had been wondering about that. Glad to see you thought of something.” He himself suddenly thought of something. “Why don’t I see this facade? Is it selective?”

Celestia seemed satisfied about something or other. “No, this spell does not allow any normal sight to penetrate it, whether I desire it or not. I was not absolutely certain before, but it would seem that your abilities prevent you from being deceived by magical illusions.” She allowed a small smirk to flit across her features. “You seem to only get more and more fascinating with each new thing I discover about you.”

Adrian let the comment slide, as they had exited the train car and stepped into the gentle bustle of the station. He noticed that three guards had joined them the moment they exited. Each variety of pony was represented in the three of them. All had a certain aura about them that made Adrian wary. He quickly recognized it as the aura of hardened warriors. They had seen combat, in some form or another. Adrian turned his attention from them to his surroundings.

The station itself was fairly interesting. It seemed to follow the colour scheme of the rest of the city. A feature that leapt to Adrian’s attention was the patterns present on some of the nearby rooftops. Some had a checkered pattern. Others possessed a swirling pattern. These features were distinct enough, from the buildings back home, to draw his eye first. The station itself had a fairly normal roof pattern, arched windows, and a large clock on the exterior.

Ponies of various appearance and race were walking around, chatting with one another, and a few were embracing the former train occupants. Adrian smiled. Underneath the abnormal surface, it was very much like a train station back home. His smile turned into a neutral expression as he noted that many ponies were taking notice of him. Some even briefly whispered to their companions. Adrian immediately shrugged it off. He had known that this was likely to happen, and most of the ponies didn’t pay him mind for long. Most of them seemed to be fairly comfortable with the unknown, and were only satisfying a brief curiosity. This was as he had hoped.

As his small party moved through the crowd, he made sure to not bump into, or draw too near to, the disguised Celestia. In spite of his focus on this task, he did notice that one pony had been tracking him longer than the rest of the crowd had. This was very slightly unnerving, but he may have simply been a visitor to the city who was less accustomed to strange creatures. It may have even been the guards that drew his attention. Adrian decided to let the matter go, as it didn’t seem to matter that much.

They quickly cleared the crowd, leaving the staring pony behind. Adrian was fully satisfied when the pony did not make any move to follow them. The streets themselves were somewhat less crowded than the station’s platform. He still got a few curious glances, but the mobile nature of his surroundings caused them to dissipate faster than they had at the station. He noticed that quite a few of the ponies wore fairly elegant garments and accessories. A few even seemed to have an air of smugness about them. He could feel his ire building. Superiority complexes were one of a few things that could get his blood boiling.

Adrian almost stopped moving as he felt some strange connection flare to life. It took him a moment to realise that it felt very similar to the same sort of “rightness” that had taken hold of him while he was submerged in the river near Fluttershy’s cottage. As his anger gave way to curiosity, the feeling of connection faded away. He felt brief concern that the feeling had returned when he had gotten angry, but hastily dropped the matter. There was too much else to focus on at the moment and he was unlikely to reach some epiphany from the limited information he had. He figured that there was little sense to be had in worrying about it.

He almost flinched as Celestia spoke. “Pay them little mind. They are harmless, for the most part. I would rather they not behave so, but they are young and ponies will be ponies.”

He hadn’t realised that he was broadcasting his feelings so strongly. “I suppose you’re right. No sense in getting disgruntled over harmless snobbery. Best to save such feelings for real problems.”

She seemed to be satisfied by his reponse, given her pleased expression. “Indeed. You are as wise as I gave you credit for.”

The buildings continued to follow the same colour scheme throughout, but a few sported an additional colour every now and again. The structures all had varying designs and architecture, however it all seemed to work together in an organized type of chaos. The city had not been designed to be completely homogenous, and that suited Adrian’s tastes just fine.

“Putting aside a few misguided residents, you seem to be enjoying your surroundings. I do hope you like Canterlot thus far.” She smiled as he turned to look at her. “Perhaps you could even see it becoming something like a home.”

Adrian couldn’t help but smile. “It is quite the city. I could definitely see this as a nice place to be.” He paused for a moment. “Thank you for inviting me to stay here, Juniper.” He had technically avoided lying, but he did not enjoy skirting so close to the act. While he could see this as a nice place to stay for a while, he still had his lingering hope of returning to his own home. He was truly grateful for what she was offering him, but he just couldn’t see himself accepting this place as his home.

She seemed amused and pleased in equal measure. “Think nothing of it. I only ask that you voice any concerns, wants, or needs with myself, my sister, or anypony representing us. We will discuss more about that later. For now, let us enjoy the journey.”

For the most part, it was quite the enjoyable journey. The weather was agreeable, if a smidgeon too warm. The environment was new and held fascinating sights at every turn. They even passed a few shops that had very agreeable smells emanating from them. He still felt no need to eat or drink, but he was glad that he could still enjoy the scent of food. Passing by clothing stores gave Adrian a fair idea of what ponies in the capital considered to be fashionable. Many of the articles and accessories seemed like ponified versions of various modern human fashions. Adrian figured that if convergent evolution was a thing, then so too could convergent fashion be a thing. He noticed that rationalising this world was growing easier. What he wasn’t sure of was whether or not this was a good thing.

“The castle draws near. We are just about home.” There was a note of relief in Celestia’s voice.

As per her words, the castle drew into sight as they rounded a bend. The first thing Adrian noticed was the moat and open drawbridge. They seemed almost comically stereotypical for a castle. He did find himself admiring the idea of having the waterfall feed into the stream that served as the moat. The trees and gardens leading up to the bridge were a welcoming touch. The castle itself was a fairly impressive affair. He had seen it from afar, but all of the details of its craftsmanship became apparent from this perspective. The castle had a number of different towers and spires of varying height. Many had the same strangely patterned roofs that the city buildings had. Much like the city, the castle itself seemed like organised chaos. He suddenly realised that navigating this place might be a tricky prospect at first.

He felt the light shock of magical energy as Celestia gently tapped him in the side with a hoof. “Well, what do you think of Canterlot castle?”

Adrian immediately became concerned. “What of your glamour?”

Celestia merely smiled in a frustratingly serene manner. “I would not worry. Few ponies draw this near the castle without invitation.”

He took a moment to observe his more immediate surroundings and noticed that she was correct. The only ponies in the area seemed to be either servants maintaining the grounds or guards patrolling them. “Ah, nevermind then. The moat and drawbridge are a bit much, but I do very much like the overall aesthetic. I especially like how the castle is integrated with the mountain itself. Very impressive.” He scratched at his head. “I only worry about getting lost in there.”

Celestia chuckled lightly. “It took a considerable deal of talent and magical effort to build this castle on the mountainside. I am glad you appreciate it. In regard to your concern, do not allow its appearance to fool you. Navigating the castle is quite the intuitive matter.” She grinned mischievously. “Even should you lose your way, you would not have to worry about starving to death.”

Adrian couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face. “True. Very true. If you say its intuitive, then I’ll just have to trust you. It is your home, after all.”

Celestia looked straight ahead with a look of suppressed pride on her face. “Indeed. I do hope that it will feel like a home to you as well, in time.” She paused for a moment. “I am also quite glad that you are starting to trust me more.”

Adrian suddenly felt a slight twinge of guilt over not trusting her with what happened with the “stewardess”. However, he stood by the conclusion he had made then. Trust needed to be a two way street, after all.

Adrian looked down at the flowing water as they passed over the drawbridge. It fed right into a waterfall plunging off the mountainside. He figured that it would be best to avoid falling in. He briefly envisioned himself plunging to the ground below. He wasn’t too worried about the possibility, as the drawbridge was quite wide and the current was clearly not overwhelmingly powerful.

They passed through the arched ingress that led into the castle grounds. The grounds were an impressive sight. The various gardens and statues spread throughout all begged for his attention. He could see a hedge maze in the distance. He also spotted an especially lush garden in the distance. The grounds themselves seemed to be quite the place to explore, given enough time.

Celestia seemed to notice him slowly looking around. “These are the castle grounds. I enjoy spending time in some of the secluded reaches of this place, when I am able.”

Adrian nodded. “I can imagine. Being the leader of any large body seems like quite the draining task.”

“Yes, I will admit that it can be quite the heavy task, but I do love my little ponies and enjoy doing what I can for them.”

Adrian had to admire her sincere love for her subjects. It was somewhat impressive to see a ruler who actually cared for those beneath them.

They soon entered the castle proper. The hall that they initially entered seemed vaguely familiar to Adrian. It took him a moment to realise that the hall was very similar to the one in the ruined castle of the Everfree. Of course, this version was better maintained than the other. Seeing the inside led him to start imagining what that old castle had looked like when it had been lived in.

Celestia’s voice snatched him from his musings. “This is Primrose.” She gestured at a nearby pony in servant’s attire. She had a pale fuchsia coat and rose quartz coloured mane and tail. Her eyes were a dark pink. “She will be escorting you to your quarters.”

Adrian smiled. “I suppose you couldn’t keep escorting me forever.” He bowed his head in respect and gratitude. “Thank you for personally escorting me thus far, Celestia. You seem a kind and good ruler. A unique treasure among my kind.”

A look of surprise crossed her face and Adrian could have sworn that he saw her lightly blush for a moment. “You were a delight to accompany. Please, do not hesitate to speak to a servant should you find your room dissatisfactory in any way.” One of the three guards whispered something to her. “Well, I am afraid that this is where we must say our farewells. I must prepare for the coming night. I do hope you enjoy your time here, Adrian.”

Adrian smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring fashion. “I don’t see that becoming a problem. Do what you need to do and don’t worry about me. I can manage.” He gave a short wave. “Farewell, Celestia.”

She smiled and dipped her head. “Farewell, Adrian. We will meet again soon.” And with that she took her leave with the three guards tagging along with her.

A faint voice snapped his attention from watching Celestia’s departure. “Shall I take you to where you will be staying, sir?”

Adrian turned to face Primrose. “Ah, yes, absolutely. Thank you for taking over as my escort.” He scratched at the back of his head. “You can call me Adrian, if you want. “Sir” is fine too, if that’s what you’re comfortable with.”

She dipped her head. “I will keep that in mind, sir. Please, follow me.”

~~~

A single pony bearing a goldenrod coat knelt before three others. “I have met with him and confirmed the truth. We have found Lord Naught. He is heading towards Canterlot as we speak. He may yet be here already.”

The two to either side looked to the pony in the center. Her voice was smooth and beguiling as she spoke. “Are you absolutely certain of his identity?”

She did not hesitate for even an instant. “He perfectly matches all details listed in the tome. He was large and donned in strange attire. His very touch left me feeling slightly disconnected from the earth, even though I am an earth pony. I would bet my life that it is truly him.”

The pony on the left spoke, his voice sonorous in spite of his thin frame. “I do hope that you were certain to ensure that he was made aware of us.”

She felt insulted by the questioning of her competence, but she held her ire. “Absolutely. He did seem slightly confused when I used his name and revealed our search, but I still have no doubt. You would not either, had you been with him yourself.” Her voice gained a wistful edge. “I only wish I could have lingered at his touch.”

The pony in the center smiled and turned to face the tome laid out before them. “Our Lord has finally come for his court.” She slowly bowed her head. “All for Naught.”

The other three immediately bowed in turn. “All for Naught.”

Comments

[Amethyst Blade]

The fucking names!
ARGH!@#!%#!@^!

[Organic Construct]

A new player enters the game.

Tell me how you feel about shorter chapters.

Edit: I'll try to keep it at longer chapters then. I'll add a chunk of story to VII to get it in line with the others. The chunk will come before the final bit and will include a few events in Canterlot's streets, his introduction to the castle, and maybe the meeting with Luna, should space permit.

VII has been updated. Space did not permit.

[Organic Construct]

7361601 Yeah, most of them are amusing references from things that interest me. No real person would actually use some of the names that appear in that early section.

[AmicusBestia]

7361611 Hello Satan.

[AgentDove]

7361940
I have over 300 unread chapters in my favorites because possibly a single chapter in any of those stories was over 8000 words long. I'd prefer sorter chapters but i can't speak for anyone else.

[Betoran]

7361611

Not really a fan of short chapters, but I will understand the tedious task of writing long chapters.

P.S. This is such a fine story, glad that I found it on updates. The plot is pretty damn awesome too, the first human in Equestria I have read were the human actually have a cult about him(actually, I may have read one but can't remember) I'm already shipping some ponies with him. Go Lord! U have my fan support from across dimensions!

P.S.S. So.... his cultist are gonna give their bodies to him or some fucked up shit like that? Cuse that mare(the one from the train) resembles Yuno in my eyes.... if you know Yuno, then you know how creeped out I'm right now.

[Mortal Kombat]

Everyone is so well spoken in equestria.

This cult is interesting.

[ErikPhantom]

Long or short doesn't particularly matter in my opinion, semi-regular updates or indications of life are more important. Whichever suits your story/writing style.

[REDACTED99999]

I had to read the entire story again just to remember what was going on.
That doesn't bode well at all. While the story is interesting, I can't handle this kind of slow updating.

[wlam]

The other three immediately bowed in turn. “All for Naught.”

Talk about a comical motto.